Principal Software Engineer - Back End

FloSports is a global sports media company transforming how fans watch and engage with live sports. Through exclusive partnerships and dedicated platforms, FloSports serves die-hard communities in more than 25 sports—many of which are overlooked by traditional media. With over 50,000 live events streamed annually and a growing library of original programming, FloSports is reshaping the sports media landscape for passionate fans worldwide.

We’re a team of builders, storytellers, and sports fanatics working to spotlight the moments and athletes that matter most—and we're just getting started.

THE ROLE:

As a Principal Backend Engineer, you will drive the architectural direction, scalability, and technical excellence of our backend systems. You will lead the design and development of high-performance services and APIs, ensuring robustness, security, and maintainability. Your expertise in TypeScript, Node.js, distributed systems, and cloud infrastructure will shape our technology stack and influence key technical decisions.

Beyond hands-on development, you will mentor engineers, contribute to system-wide optimizations, and collaborate cross-functionally to align technical execution with business goals. You will also play a crucial role in evolving best practices, driving innovation, and ensuring operational excellence.

This role includes active participation in the on-call rotation as a technical leader, helping to maintain system reliability and respond to critical incidents.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the design and development of scalable, high-performance backend services and APIs.

• Harness ability to work independently, take ownership of complex projects, and drive them to completion with no supervision

• Define and implement best practices for system architecture, code quality, and operational excellence.

• Drive technical decisions related to databases (SQL, Firebase/Firestore, DynamoDB), distributed systems, and event-driven architectures.

• Architect and optimize cloud-based solutions, leveraging AWS services such as Aurora, EventBridge, Lambda, and other serverless technologies.

• Develop and enforce robust testing strategies, ensuring high code quality with unit, integration, and end-to-end tests.

• Identify and resolve system bottlenecks, optimizing for performance, cost, and reliability.

• Mentor and guide engineers across multiple teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.

• Conduct technical reviews and provide strategic input on engineering initiatives.

• Proactively drive improvements in system security, observability, and fault tolerance.

• Act as an escalation point for complex technical issues, supporting production troubleshooting and incident resolution.
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Expert-level proficiency in TypeScript and Node.js, with a deep understanding of system design, performance optimization, and distributed architectures.

• Proven experience leading architectural decisions and building large-scale backend services.

• Extensive experience with SQL databases and NoSQL solutions (Firebase/Firestore, DynamoDB).

• Deep understanding of cloud-native development, with hands-on experience in AWS (Aurora, EventBridge, Lambda, etc.).

• Strong expertise in designing and implementing event-driven architectures and microservices.

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, automation, and infrastructure as code (IaC).

• Mastery of software testing methodologies, including unit, integration, and E2E testing with Jest, Vitest, and Supertest.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a track record of improving system performance and reliability.

• Demonstrated ability to influence technical strategy and drive alignment across teams.

• Experience mentoring and growing engineering talent.
  

BONUS POINTS:

• Expertise with data validation libraries (e.g., Zod).

• Deep experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and orchestration.

• Strong knowledge of API security, authentication mechanisms, and best practices.

• Experience with serverless development frameworks such as SST.

• Familiarity with large-scale observability tools and best practices.

• Prior experience working in Agile environments and driving engineering process improvements.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

FloSports exists to elevate the communities, athletes, and sports that have too often been overlooked. That mission starts with our own team. We believe that a diverse, inclusive workplace—one where different perspectives are sought out, heard, and valued—is essential to building a company that can truly serve the full spectrum of sports fans.

We are committed to creating a fair and equitable environment where people from all backgrounds can thrive. To help mitigate bias and expand opportunity, FloSports uses a blind recruiting process that supports more objective, inclusive hiring decisions. We’re intentional in our practices because we believe the best ideas and innovations come from teams that reflect the diversity of the world around us.

OUR BENEFITS:

• Recognized three years in a row as a Top Workplace by the Austin-American Statesman

• Flexibility at work - you can take control of your profession and personal schedule

• All-hands events hosted annually in beautiful Austin, Texas

• Annual equity awards for all top performers

• Competitive and comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans

• Peace of mind through company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability and life insurance

• Generous 401(K) company match vested immediately

• Progressive parental leave policies

• Flexible paid time off

• Hack-a-thons and a full calendar of team-building and social events

• Company donation to youth teams and leagues that our employees coach

• Stocked snack bar, catered lunch and breakfast tacos every week